Filming in Florence

I was recently given an amazing opportunity to work in Florence and find a bit of extra money. This is especially helpful given the cost of being an abroad student. The Florence and Abroad agency (F&A) who works closely with SRISA to offer student housing, had a new project to create an informal video for their website. During orientation we watched some of the media they provided, but they were looking to create a longer more up-to-date feature.

Another student and I were given the chance to put our acting skills to the test. We met with Matteo, a very charismatic business man and the face of F&A. Once our busy student schedules were shared, the filming days were set and we began.

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The first day was a long 6 to 7 hours of work. We met with Stefano and Luigi, our directors and cameramen in one, and went from the Florence airport all the way to the center, pretending we were fresh off the flights in a brand new experience. It was a nice way to reminisce and remind ourselves where our study abroad adventure began!

Every day that we filmed was unique. The most recent day, this past Saturday, was my favorite. We went out to enjoy Florence! The night before, we watched the sunset from Piazzale Michelangelo (which never gets old), and the following morning we met at the Duomo to start our journey.

We worked with the local Police to create a few scenes. They were incredibly funny people. My Italian skills increased ten-fold with this experience because I felt more apt to try and learn and speak, and my coworkers highly encouraged teaching me new vocabulary! After all, when you spend upwards of 7 hours working with someone—you run out of things to talk about! So learning new ways of communication was a huge bonus to this experience.Filming in Florence - image 4

After filming at the Duomo we walked all over, a total of about 8 miles. From Duomo to Santa Croce, from Santa Croce to Piazza Repubblica, from Piazza Repubblica to the Uffizi. Of course, it is incredibly tiring work—but definitely one of the most enjoyable jobs I have had up to date!

Just like my time reflecting with the Arno, there are so many times in Florence I find myself thinking about my luck. Of course, I also have to remind myself of all the hard work done to accomplish this. Even in the midst of all the hard work, though, I can look around and breathe in the beauty of a city I had only aspired to visit… let alone live in.

As my last semester abroad starts to come to a close, and even if there’s a small sense of sadness, I feel so much more capable and excited for the next journey in my life—and that’s all thanks to this amazing experience and all the people who have helped me get here.

 

“Logan Shary is an Art Studio major and Creative Writing minor from McMurry University; located in Abilene, Texas. She expects to graduate with a B.F.A. in December, 2019, and plans to return to Florence for study or work.”

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